


Mister Gander's Christmas Troubles

by Lieju



Category: Disney Duck Universe, Disney Ducks (Comics)
Genre: Christmas fic, Gen, I tried to write a fic that would tonally work as an official comic too, cousin/platonic stuff, his social life is weird, maybe sort of a character piece for gladdy?, the weird 'closest thing to a friendship' he has with both daisy and donald, tried to write something about
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:35:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28295412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lieju/pseuds/Lieju
Summary: It's Christmas.And something is very wrong.Will Gladstone Gander figure it out? Or at least get some sympathy, poor thing.
Relationships: Daisy Duck & Gladstone Gander, Donald Duck & Gladstone Gander
Comments: 5
Kudos: 11





	Mister Gander's Christmas Troubles

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Timic3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Timic3/gifts).



Gladstone opened his eyes, stretching and yawning, ready to welcome a new wonderful luck-filled day.

However, as it turned out, this day would turn out to be quite exceptional.

The first sign something was terribly wrong was the state of his hair.

Gladstone started every day admiring himself in the mirror. What a better way to start a day than that? But as he stared at the mirror he did not feel the usual lifting of spirits as he was greeted by the sight of the handsome goose. Something was very very wrong.

His usually effortlessly curling hair was limp and messy, and it even seemed like it had lost most of its golden shine!

Gladstone stared in disbelief. He glared at the strand randomly poking out, as if he could will it to fix itself.

He eventually sighed and pulled out a brush. Usually he didn't even need to use it, but the diamond encrusted pink brush was just very cute on his desk.

He brought the brush to his hair and tugged at the sorry mess his lustrous locks had somehow become.

To no avail.

Eventually he let go, struggling to get the brush free.

His life was so hard! He almost let out a good cry.

Almost. He was strong-

An another look at his mirror made him decide to go for a cry after all.

After a good wail he felt better. Refreshed. He was suffering, being a tragic figure. It was so difficult to be him! But really, he was handling it well. He would rise above this!

And maybe, he thought as he made his way downstairs, this was all for the best. Maybe bed hair was in vogue now and once he stepped outside he would be picked up by the first Hollywood producer who saw him, handpicked to represent their new line of movies or hamburgers or something.

Maybe red eyes had come to fashion too when he hadn't been paying attention.

The thought made him feel better. He should just trust Lady Luck!

He was feeling a bit peckish now.

He decided to go out and win a fancy dinner or breakfast. He had earned it after this adversity.

It was snowing. Gladstone pulled his coat tighter around him. He was freezing!

Something seemed to be off. The wintery streets were somehow more quiet than usual and there were fancy lights everywhere.

He stopped at the door of the restaurant, confused at the shut door. Why wasn't it opening?

“Hey!” Gladstone knocked on the door. “Feed me.”

“Sir, don't you know what day today is?”

Gladstone turned to stare at the small child. “Monday? Or maybe Thursday?”

“It's Christmas, Sir!”

Gladstone stared at him. “No it's not.”

“But it is! You should come back after the holidays, Sir!”

Maybe it had been a whole year since the last one. But he hadn't even won any gifts for anyone. Usually by this time Gladstone would have gotten all of his Christmas shopping done.

Not to mention, none of his family members had pulled him into one of their wacky holiday schemes...

He stood in the snow, feeling the freezing ice digging into his sensitive feet.

Something was wrong.

Whenever something like this happened, 'this' being him feeling miserable and lost, Gladstone fell back to two possible people to get him back on track.

Donald, or Daisy.

This wasn't the type of misery seeing Donald even worse off would help with, so he waved his hand to an approaching Taxi and climbed in.

“Daisy's place.”

Gladstone huddled on the backseat. Daisy would fix this. Clearly something was off but Gladstone knew Daisy and knew how to be with her. Maybe this would even lead to Donald showing up and getting mad at them hanging out, and that all was already cheering Gladstone up so much.

The Taxi stopped. “Twenty bucks.”

Of course he didn't have money.

“Are you sure?” Gladstone asked. "You don't have any kind of promotional event going on or anything? Check your little machine I must be the millionth customer or something."

"Sir, you must pay for-"

Gladstone ignored him, got out of the car and waved at Daisy. “Hello!”

Daisy gave him a look and walked to him.

“Pay my taxi,” Gladstone said.

“Gladstone, I am pretty busy right now.”

“No you don't get it! I have had a very tough day!” Gladdy pouted.

Daisy sighed but pulled out her credit card.

After she paid for the ride she turned around and walked back to her car.

She hadn't asked Gladstone any details but he was sure that only meant she expected the full story immediately. So he followed her.

“You won't believe what happened to me!”

“Gladstone, I am pretty busy with the Women's Association's Christmas party.”

“Great! I can explain it to you while you...” Gladstone gestured at the packages she was carrying to her car. “Do the thing with those.”

She struggled with the packages, the pile on her arms wobbling. "Uh-huh."

“So. I woke up today and my hair was an absolute mess.”

“I see.”

“AND I didn't win any gifts. So don't expect anything this year-”

"I very rarely expect things from you, Gladstone."

His stomach growled. “Oh I didn't eat breakfast.”

She slammed the car door shut. “Listen. I can get you a sandwich once I deliver these gifts to the Women's Association's Santa Event.”

Gladstone considered it. Really, it seemed like the thing to do.

"Great!" He opened the car door. A few packages rolled to the snowy street.

Daisy groaned, out of enthusiasm, Gladstone was sure.

"Sit in the front."

Gladstone did so. He asked Daisy: "So, what will I win when we get there?"

"It's not that kind of a charity event."

"Are you sure?"

He hadn't win anything today, it had been an odd day. Hopefully he hadn't done anything to anger Lady Luck... Nothing he could think of...

There it was again, the cold creeping certainty something was wrong and maybe She had left him and he would be unable to survive in the cold uncaring world where people were expected to work and wash dishes and own library cards and he had no idea how to do any of that- He turned on the radio to avoid thinking about it.

The jolly tones filled the tiny car, and Gladstone sang or more like honked along 'Jingle Bells'.

Eventually the car stopped.

Daisy got off. She smiled to the tall and thin dognose lady. "Hello Mrs Smith. I brought the gifts."

Gladstone wandered after her. He tipped his hat to the dognose. She ignored him.

Mrs Smith looked at the packages. "Some of these are wet."

"Um. The kids won't notice they will be happy to open them they won't even notice-"

"Miss Duck!" She bellowed, as if Daisy had said something outrageous. "Surely we must hold children to higher esteem than this. They deserve to be held out beautiful gifts!"

"Yes. Yes of course."

Daisy looked like she was in trouble. Figuring she probably wouldn't want him to see it, and it looked complicated anyways, Gladstone wandered inside.

The main room was decked in shining lights and balls, a large tree adorning the room. There were toys of all kinds, some still unwrapped, around it-

The tree, and rest of the room, was suddenly upside down.

Gladstone gasped as his brain caught up. There was nothing under his feet but air-

Hit head hit the floor. A loud crash soon followed.

"I am in pain!" he yelped from the floor.

He sat up. The tree was still wobbling, before crashing down for good.

"What is going on?" Mrs Smith demanded to know. Daisy followed her. She shot a look at Gladstone.

"Are you fine?"

"No!"

"You look fine," Daisy mumbled before reaching out a hand to pull him up.

One of the women working on the tree ran up to them. "He stepped on the skate board that was waiting to be wrapped and it crashed into the tree and oh! I am so sorry!"

"You should be, for leaving traps like that around!" Gladstone pointed out.

He looked at Daisy, expecting sympathy. "I keep suffering today!"

Daisy was fuming, and Gladstone was starting to catch on it was about him.

"Oh Mrs Smith I was merely giving a lift to this bum. I will escort him outside!"

"But-"

Daisy took his arm. "At once!"

"I think I might have to go the hospital," Gladstone said, hoping that would make her realize how utterly unfair she was being. True, his head didn't really hurt anymore but he deserved sympathy.

Daisy poked at his head. "Fine. I will call for an ambulance."

Gladstone was soon ushered into the ambulance, wailing.

To his disappointment Daisy didn't come with him, just telling him to call her later and that they might see each other at Grandma's later.

Even the paramedic didn't seem too intent on giving him attention. Gladstone sat up.

"I feel fine now I would like you to drop me off at-"

Not at home- But the ambulance was driving past-

Gladstone jumped up and down. "Donald!"

He knocked on the door. "Hey, open up this is my stop!"

"This is not a taxi-"

Gladstone jumped off and ran to Donald who was working on his car.

"Donald!"

"Gladstone?"

"My hair is all messy!"

"Gladstone, I really don't need this right now!" Donald snapped.

Gladstone could feel tears welling up in his eyes.

This had been a shitty day! A really bad and sad Christmas day.

He let it all out, explaining every single detail to Donald as they stood there in the snow.

The day had been horrible. And the fact that it was Christmas probably made it at least hundred times worse.

And perhaps it had been bad in a way that did give him insight of some kind. Like he was at the verge of a realization of some kind-

He could see a flash of guilt on Donald's face.

_Oh! He feels bad for me!_

This made Gladstone feel better immediately.

And then a realization of a different kind hit.

He could get some pity from Donald.

A tear rolled down Gladstone's face. Sloppily, not at all in the effortlessly pretty way his crying usually looked.

Donald stepped forward and awkwardly held out a napkin.

Gladstone took it and blew his nose. “Thanks.”

Donald looked at his feet. “Don't mention it.”

Gladstone stared at Donald, waiting to see how he would fix this all.

Donald patted his shoulder and Gladstone took it as an invitation to a hug.

Donald patted his back before pushing him away.

"So, uh. I was about to head to Grandma's place. The boys are already there, they've been on the farm for a few days now. And everyone else should be arriving there soon too."

Gladstone almost smiled before catching himself.

He blew his nose again. "Will they really want me there?"

"You're family." Donald stepped into 313. "Should we go?"

Gladstone climbed next to him. He was feeling pretty hungry, he had never gotten the sandwich Daisy had promised him.

At the farm he would get to enjoy at least a nice dinner.

And certainly he'd take full advantage of the car ride there to get more pity out of Donald.

It had all turned out for the best after all.

He looked at the sky to his lucky star and blew a kiss to Lady Luck.

_Sorry for ever doubting you._


End file.
